:h usr_24.txt

usr_24.txt For Vim version 7.4. Last change: 2006 Jul 23LINK

VIM USER MANUAL - by Bram Moolenaar

Inserting quickly

When entering text, Vim offers various ways to reduce the number of keystrokes

and avoid typing mistakes. Use Insert mode completion to repeat previously

typed words. Abbreviate long words to short ones. Type characters that

aren't on your keyboard.

24.1 Making corrections

24.2 Showing matches

24.3 Completion

24.4 Repeating an insert

24.5 Copying from another line

24.6 Inserting a register

24.7 Abbreviations

24.8 Entering special characters

24.9 Digraphs

24.10 Normal mode commands

Next chapter: usr_25.txt Editing formatted text

Previous chapter: usr_23.txt Editing other files

Table of contents: usr_toc.txt

==============================================================================

24.1 Making correctionsLINK

The <BS> key was already mentioned. It deletes the character just before the

cursor. The <Del> key does the same for the character under (after) the

cursor.

When you typed a whole word wrong, use CTRL-W:

The horse had fallen to the sky

CTRL-W

The horse had fallen to the

If you really messed up a line and want to start over, use CTRL-U to delete

it. This keeps the text after the cursor and the indent. Only the text from

the first non-blank to the cursor is deleted. With the cursor on the "f" of

"fallen" in the next line pressing CTRL-U does this:

The horse had fallen to the

CTRL-U

fallen to the

When you spot a mistake a few words back, you need to move the cursor there to

correct it. For example, you typed this:

The horse had follen to the ground

You need to change "follen" to "fallen". With the cursor at the end, you

would type this to correct it:

<Esc>4blraA

get out of Insert mode <Esc>

four words back 4b

move on top of the "o" l

replace with "a" ra

restart Insert mode A

Another way to do this:

<C-Left><C-Left><C-Left><C-Left><Right><Del>a<End>

four words back <C-Left><C-Left><C-Left><C-Left>

move on top of the "o" <Right>

delete the "o" <Del>

insert an "a" a

go to end of the line <End>

This uses special keys to move around, while remaining in Insert mode. This

resembles what you would do in a modeless editor. It's easier to remember,

but takes more time (you have to move your hand from the letters to the cursor

keys, and the <End> key is hard to press without looking at the keyboard).

These special keys are most useful when writing a mapping that doesn't

leave Insert mode. The extra typing doesn't matter then.

An overview of the keys you can use in Insert mode:

<C-Home> to start of the file

<PageUp> a whole screenful up

<Home> to start of line

<S-Left> one word left

<C-Left> one word left

<S-Right> one word right

<C-Right> one word right

<End> to end of the line

<PageDown> a whole screenful down

<C-End> to end of the file

There are a few more, see ins-special-special.

==============================================================================

24.2 Showing matchesLINK

When you type a ) it would be nice to see with which ( it matches. To make

Vim do that use this command:

:set showmatch

When you now type a text like "(example)", as soon as you type the ) Vim will

briefly move the cursor to the matching (, keep it there for half a second,

and move back to where you were typing.

In case there is no matching (, Vim will beep. Then you know that you

might have forgotten the ( somewhere, or typed a ) too many.

The match will also be shown for [] and {} pairs. You don't have to wait

with typing the next character, as soon as Vim sees it the cursor will move

back and inserting continues as before.

You can change the time Vim waits with the 'matchtime' option. For

example, to make Vim wait one and a half second:

:set matchtime=15

The time is specified in tenths of a second.

==============================================================================

24.3 CompletionLINK

Vim can automatically complete words on insertion. You type the first part of

a word, press CTRL-P, and Vim guesses the rest.

Suppose, for example, that you are creating a C program and want to type in

the following:

total = ch_array[0] + ch_array[1] + ch_array[2];

You start by entering the following:

total = ch_array[0] + ch_

At this point, you tell Vim to complete the word using the command CTRL-P.

Vim searches for a word that starts with what's in front of the cursor. In

this case, it is "ch_", which matches with the word ch_array. So typing

CTRL-P gives you the following:

total = ch_array[0] + ch_array

After a little more typing, you get this (ending in a space):

total = ch_array[0] + ch_array[1] +

If you now type CTRL-P Vim will search again for a word that completes the

word before the cursor. Since there is nothing in front of the cursor, it

finds the first word backwards, which is "ch_array". Typing CTRL-P again

gives you the next word that matches, in this case "total". A third CTRL-P

searches further back. If there is nothing else, it causes the editor to run

out of words, so it returns to the original text, which is nothing. A fourth

CTRL-P causes the editor to start over again with "ch_array".

To search forward, use CTRL-N. Since the search wraps around the end of the

file, CTRL-N and CTRL-P will find the same matches, but in a different

sequence. Hint: CTRL-N is Next-match and CTRL-P is Previous-match.

The Vim editor goes through a lot of effort to find words to complete. By

default, it searches the following places:

1. Current file

2. Files in other windows

3. Other loaded files (hidden buffers)

4. Files which are not loaded (inactive buffers)

5. Tag files

6. All files #included by the current file

OPTIONS

You can customize the search order with the 'complete' option.

The 'ignorecase' option is used. When it is set, case differences are ignored

when searching for matches.

A special option for completion is 'infercase'. This is useful to find

matches while ignoring case ('ignorecase' must be set) but still using the

case of the word typed so far. Thus if you type "For" and Vim finds a match

"fortunately", it will result in "Fortunately".

COMPLETING SPECIFIC ITEMS

If you know what you are looking for, you can use these commands to complete

with a certain type of item:

CTRL-X CTRL-F file names

CTRL-X CTRL-L whole lines

CTRL-X CTRL-D macro definitions (also in included files)

CTRL-X CTRL-I current and included files

CTRL-X CTRL-K words from a dictionary

CTRL-X CTRL-T words from a thesaurus

CTRL-X CTRL-] tags

CTRL-X CTRL-V Vim command line

After each of them CTRL-N can be used to find the next match, CTRL-P to find

the previous match.

More information for each of these commands here: ins-completion.

COMPLETING FILE NAMES

Let's take CTRL-X CTRL-F as an example. This will find file names. It scans

the current directory for files and displays each one that matches the word in

front of the cursor.

Suppose, for example, that you have the following files in the current

directory:

main.c sub_count.c sub_done.c sub_exit.c

Now enter Insert mode and start typing:

The exit code is in the file sub

At this point, you enter the command CTRL-X CTRL-F. Vim now completes the

current word "sub" by looking at the files in the current directory. The

first match is sub_count.c. This is not the one you want, so you match the

next file by typing CTRL-N. This match is sub_done.c. Typing CTRL-N again

takes you to sub_exit.c. The results:

The exit code is in the file sub_exit.c

If the file name starts with / (Unix) or C:\ (MS-Windows) you can find all

files in the file system. For example, type "/u" and CTRL-X CTRL-F. This

will match "/usr" (this is on Unix):

the file is found in /usr/

If you now press CTRL-N you go back to "/u". Instead, to accept the "/usr/"

and go one directory level deeper, use CTRL-X CTRL-F again:

the file is found in /usr/X11R6/

The results depend on what is found in your file system, of course. The

matches are sorted alphabetically.

COMPLETING IN SOURCE CODE

Source code files are well structured. That makes it possible to do

completion in an intelligent way. In Vim this is called Omni completion. In

some other editors it's called intellisense, but that is a trademark.

The key to Omni completion is CTRL-X CTRL-O. Obviously the O stands for Omni

here, so that you can remember it easier. Let's use an example for editing C

source:

{

struct foo *p;

p->

The cursor is after "p->". Now type CTRL-X CTRL-O. Vim will offer you a list

of alternatives, which are the items that "struct foo" contains. That is

quite different from using CTRL-P, which would complete any word, while only

members of "struct foo" are valid here.

For Omni completion to work you may need to do some setup. At least make sure

filetype plugins are enabled. Your vimrc file should contain a line like

this:

filetype plugin on

Or:

filetype plugin indent on

For C code you need to create a tags file and set the 'tags' option. That is

explained ft-c-omni. For other filetypes you may need to do something

similar, look below compl-omni-filetypes. It only works for specific

filetypes. Check the value of the 'omnifunc' option to find out if it would

work.

==============================================================================

24.4 Repeating an insertLINK

If you press CTRL-A, the editor inserts the text you typed the last time you

were in Insert mode.

Assume, for example, that you have a file that begins with the following:

"file.h"

/* Main program begins */

You edit this file by inserting "#include " at the beginning of the first

line:

#include "file.h"

/* Main program begins */

You go down to the beginning of the next line using the commands "j^". You

now start to insert a new "#include" line. So you type:

i CTRL-A

The result is as follows:

#include "file.h"

#include /* Main program begins */

The "#include " was inserted because CTRL-A inserts the text of the previous

insert. Now you type "main.h"<Enter> to finish the line:

#include "file.h"

#include "main.h"

/* Main program begins */

The CTRL-@ command does a CTRL-A and then exits Insert mode. That's a quick

way of doing exactly the same insertion again.

==============================================================================

24.5 Copying from another lineLINK

The CTRL-Y command inserts the character above the cursor. This is useful

when you are duplicating a previous line. For example, you have this line of

C code:

b_array[i]->s_next = a_array[i]->s_next;

Now you need to type the same line, but with "s_prev" instead of "s_next".

Start the new line, and press CTRL-Y 14 times, until you are at the "n" of

"next":

b_array[i]->s_next = a_array[i]->s_next;

b_array[i]->s_

Now you type "prev":

b_array[i]->s_next = a_array[i]->s_next;

b_array[i]->s_prev

Continue pressing CTRL-Y until the following "next":

b_array[i]->s_next = a_array[i]->s_next;

b_array[i]->s_prev = a_array[i]->s_

Now type "prev;" to finish it off.

The CTRL-E command acts like CTRL-Y except it inserts the character below the

cursor.

==============================================================================

24.6 Inserting a registerLINK

The command CTRL-R {register} inserts the contents of the register. This is

useful to avoid having to type a long word. For example, you need to type

this:

r = VeryLongFunction(a) + VeryLongFunction(b) + VeryLongFunction(c)

The function name is defined in a different file. Edit that file and move the

cursor on top of the function name there, and yank it into register v:

"vyiw

"v is the register specification, "yiw" is yank-inner-word. Now edit the file

where the new line is to be inserted, and type the first letters:

r =

Now use CTRL-R v to insert the function name:

r = VeryLongFunction

You continue to type the characters in between the function name, and use

CTRL-R v two times more.

You could have done the same with completion. Using a register is useful

when there are many words that start with the same characters.

If the register contains characters such as <BS> or other special characters,

they are interpreted as if they had been typed from the keyboard. If you do

not want this to happen (you really want the <BS> to be inserted in the text),

use the command CTRL-R CTRL-R {register}.

==============================================================================

24.7 AbbreviationsLINK

An abbreviation is a short word that takes the place of a long one. For

example, "ad" stands for "advertisement". Vim enables you to type an

abbreviation and then will automatically expand it for you.

To tell Vim to expand "ad" into "advertisement" every time you insert it,

use the following command:

:iabbrev ad advertisement

Now, when you type "ad", the whole word "advertisement" will be inserted into

the text. This is triggered by typing a character that can't be part of a

word, for example a space:

What Is Entered What You See

I saw the a I saw the a

I saw the ad I saw the ad

I saw the ad<Space> I saw the advertisement<Space>

The expansion doesn't happen when typing just "ad". That allows you to type a

word like "add", which will not get expanded. Only whole words are checked

for abbreviations.

ABBREVIATING SEVERAL WORDS

It is possible to define an abbreviation that results in multiple words. For

example, to define "JB" as "Jack Benny", use the following command:

:iabbrev JB Jack Benny

As a programmer, I use two rather unusual abbreviations:

:iabbrev #b /****************************************

:iabbrev #e <Space>****************************************/

These are used for creating boxed comments. The comment starts with #b, which

draws the top line. I then type the comment text and use #e to draw the

bottom line.

Notice that the #e abbreviation begins with a space. In other words, the

first two characters are space-star. Usually Vim ignores spaces between the

abbreviation and the expansion. To avoid that problem, I spell space as seven

characters: <, S, p, a, c, e, >.

Note:

":iabbrev" is a long word to type. ":iab" works just as well.

That's abbreviating the abbreviate command!

FIXING TYPING MISTAKES

It's very common to make the same typing mistake every time. For example,

typing "teh" instead of "the". You can fix this with an abbreviation:

:abbreviate teh the

You can add a whole list of these. Add one each time you discover a common

mistake.

LISTING ABBREVIATIONS

The ":abbreviate" command lists the abbreviations:

:abbreviate

i #e ****************************************/

i #b /****************************************

i JB Jack Benny

i ad advertisement

! teh the

The "i" in the first column indicates Insert mode. These abbreviations are

only active in Insert mode. Other possible characters are:

c Command-line mode :cabbrev

! both Insert and Command-line mode :abbreviate

Since abbreviations are not often useful in Command-line mode, you will mostly

use the ":iabbrev" command. That avoids, for example, that "ad" gets expanded

when typing a command like:

:edit ad

DELETING ABBREVIATIONS

To get rid of an abbreviation, use the ":unabbreviate" command. Suppose you

have the following abbreviation:

:abbreviate @f fresh

You can remove it with this command:

:unabbreviate @f

While you type this, you will notice that @f is expanded to "fresh". Don't

worry about this, Vim understands it anyway (except when you have an

abbreviation for "fresh", but that's very unlikely).

To remove all the abbreviations:

:abclear

":unabbreviate" and ":abclear" also come in the variants for Insert mode

(":iunabbreviate and ":iabclear") and Command-line mode (":cunabbreviate" and

":cabclear").

REMAPPING ABBREVIATIONS

There is one thing to watch out for when defining an abbreviation: The

resulting string should not be mapped. For example:

:abbreviate @a adder

:imap dd disk-door

When you now type @a, you will get "adisk-doorer". That's not what you want.

To avoid this, use the ":noreabbrev" command. It does the same as

":abbreviate", but avoids that the resulting string is used for mappings:

:noreabbrev @a adder

Fortunately, it's unlikely that the result of an abbreviation is mapped.

==============================================================================

24.8 Entering special charactersLINK

The CTRL-V command is used to insert the next character literally. In other

words, any special meaning the character has, it will be ignored. For

example:

CTRL-V <Esc>

Inserts an escape character. Thus you don't leave Insert mode. (Don't type

the space after CTRL-V, it's only to make this easier to read).

Note:

On MS-Windows CTRL-V is used to paste text. Use CTRL-Q instead of

CTRL-V. On Unix, on the other hand, CTRL-Q does not work on some

terminals, because it has a special meaning.

You can also use the command CTRL-V {digits} to insert a character with the

decimal number {digits}. For example, the character number 127 is the <Del>

character (but not necessarily the <Del> key!). To insert <Del> type:

CTRL-V 127

You can enter characters up to 255 this way. When you type fewer than two

digits, a non-digit will terminate the command. To avoid the need of typing a

non-digit, prepend one or two zeros to make three digits.

All the next commands insert a <Tab> and then a dot:

CTRL-V 9.

CTRL-V 09.

CTRL-V 009.

To enter a character in hexadecimal, use an "x" after the CTRL-V:

CTRL-V x7f

This also goes up to character 255 (CTRL-V xff). You can use "o" to type a

character as an octal number and two more methods allow you to type up to

a 16 bit and a 32 bit number (e.g., for a Unicode character):

CTRL-V o123

CTRL-V u1234

CTRL-V U12345678

==============================================================================

24.9 DigraphsLINK

Some characters are not on the keyboard. For example, the copyright character

CTRL-K Co

To find out what digraphs are available, use the following command:

:digraphs

Vim will display the digraph table. Here are three lines of it:

AC ~_ 159 NS | 160 !I ¡ 161 Ct ¢ 162 Pd £ 163 Cu ¤ 164 Ye ¥ 165

-- 173 Rg ® 174 'm ¯ 175 DG ° 176 +- ± 177 2S ² 178 3S ³ 179

This shows, for example, that the digraph you get by typing CTRL-K Pd is the

character (£). This is character number 163 (decimal).

Pd is short for Pound. Most digraphs are selected to give you a hint about

the character they will produce. If you look through the list you will

understand the logic.

You can exchange the first and second character, if there is no digraph for

that combination. Thus CTRL-K dP also works. Since there is no digraph for

"dP" Vim will also search for a "Pd" digraph.

Note:

The digraphs depend on the character set that Vim assumes you are

using. On MS-DOS they are different from MS-Windows. Always use

":digraphs" to find out which digraphs are currently available.

You can define your own digraphs. Example:

:digraph a" ä

This defines that CTRL-K a" inserts an ä character. You can also specify the

character with a decimal number. This defines the same digraph:

:digraph a" 228

More information about digraphs here: digraphs

Another way to insert special characters is with a keymap. More about that

here: 45.5

==============================================================================

24.10 Normal mode commandsLINK

Insert mode offers a limited number of commands. In Normal mode you have many

more. When you want to use one, you usually leave Insert mode with <Esc>,

execute the Normal mode command, and re-enter Insert mode with "i" or "a".

There is a quicker way. With CTRL-O {command} you can execute any Normal

mode command from Insert mode. For example, to delete from the cursor to the

end of the line:

CTRL-O D

You can execute only one Normal mode command this way. But you can specify a

CTRL-O "g3dw

This deletes up to the third word into register g.

==============================================================================

Next chapter: usr_25.txt Editing formatted text